Visiting Macchu Picchu having walked the whole Inca trail to get there makes the experience particularly special. Marco noted that 10,000 people visit Macchu Picchu each day, of which only about 200 arrive via the Inca trail. The other 9,800 mostly arrive by train and bus or a few by shorter one and two day walks.
Descending from the Sun Gate it was easy to spot the trekkers (us) from the day trippers. Suddenly we were back in the world of jeans, designer handbags and clean clothes. People were meditating, taking selfies and wandering around in big tour groups led by guides holding up paddles etc. Our little group of six dirty travellers with damp daypacks, boots and studded shoes and trekking poles didn't quite fit.
As Marco promised it was a fine afternoon. Most of the day trippers had already left for Cusco so the site was busy but not overwhelmingly so. Nevertheless it made a slightly unwelcome change from visiting empty ruins. Marco told us Mick Jagger had once visited and proposed that the site be opened just for him for the day (with him paying the equivalent of a days revenue).
The site was certainly larger and more complex than the other Inca sites we had visited. Many of the buildings had also undergone more significant restoration than in other places.
Marco did his usual superb job explaining the history of the city and the implications to the Incan empire as a whole. One of the more interesting points was seeing the impact that the last major earthquake had on the site (surprisingly small but you could see where the massive stonework had shifted in places).
Following our tour of the site we made our way down to Aguas Calientes (by bus). The rain had been heavy upstream (around Cusco) while we were on the trail and the river was raging through the town. We took a few quick photos before checking into our luxury hotel with hot showers and comfy beds.
As we had visited the site on the fourth afternoon of our trek rather than coming back on the fifth morning we now had a free morning the next day before catching an early afternoon train and bus back to Cusco. As it turned out the next day was wet and cloudy which made the decision to visit as soon as we arrived a good one.
Descending from the Sun Gate it was easy to spot the trekkers (us) from the day trippers. Suddenly we were back in the world of jeans, designer handbags and clean clothes. People were meditating, taking selfies and wandering around in big tour groups led by guides holding up paddles etc. Our little group of six dirty travellers with damp daypacks, boots and studded shoes and trekking poles didn't quite fit.
As Marco promised it was a fine afternoon. Most of the day trippers had already left for Cusco so the site was busy but not overwhelmingly so. Nevertheless it made a slightly unwelcome change from visiting empty ruins. Marco told us Mick Jagger had once visited and proposed that the site be opened just for him for the day (with him paying the equivalent of a days revenue).
The site was certainly larger and more complex than the other Inca sites we had visited. Many of the buildings had also undergone more significant restoration than in other places.
Marco did his usual superb job explaining the history of the city and the implications to the Incan empire as a whole. One of the more interesting points was seeing the impact that the last major earthquake had on the site (surprisingly small but you could see where the massive stonework had shifted in places).
Following our tour of the site we made our way down to Aguas Calientes (by bus). The rain had been heavy upstream (around Cusco) while we were on the trail and the river was raging through the town. We took a few quick photos before checking into our luxury hotel with hot showers and comfy beds.
As we had visited the site on the fourth afternoon of our trek rather than coming back on the fifth morning we now had a free morning the next day before catching an early afternoon train and bus back to Cusco. As it turned out the next day was wet and cloudy which made the decision to visit as soon as we arrived a good one.
What an amazing adventure for you as a family. Congratulations on making it! Linda
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